Interview: Rebeka Shaid on her debut coming of age YA romance ‘Seven Days’

Your book, Seven Days, is a brand-new contemporary YA debut set in Bristol, UK. Can you tell our readers a little more about it, and what inspired you to write this story?

Seven Days is a diverse YA romance about two teenagers, sassy Noori and troubled Aamir, who are struggling to understand where they belong in this world after experiencing tragedy. It’s a story about finding yourself after losing yourself, but it’s also a story about finding love and hope in unlikely places.

I was inspired to write a contemporary YA novel that discusses topics many teenagers are confronted with: first love, family relationships, but also questions of identity. To me it was also about representation because Noori is of mixed heritage and Aamir’s parents are immigrants, which reflects my own upbringing. I can’t think of that many YA novels that look at what it’s like to grow up between different cultures so I wanted to write a story that my 16-year-old self would probably have enjoyed!

This novel takes place over a span of seven days. Did you always know you wanted to set it within this time frame? If yes, did you have to plot meticulously with that in mind?

If truth be told, I never plan anything meticulously these days! But it was always clear to me that I wanted to write a relatively fast-paced story that takes place over seven days. I knew how the story would end and begin but everything else developed organically.

My journey to publication was not straightforward. It took years before Seven Days got published – and it’s also not the first novel I wrote!

Both main characters, Noori and Aamir, are suffering devastating losses in their lives – and dealing with them in their own ways – when they first meet. Did these characters and their struggles come to you easily while writing this book, or did you have to dig deep to figure this out?

Writing about loss is something that is very natural to me. In fact, while I was drafting Seven Days I was still in the early stages of my grief journey so it was cathartic to write about two grieving teenagers because I could easily identify with their feelings and thoughts about loss. It was not that difficult for me to create these two characters, and their struggles certainly feel real to me.

Noori is fiercely loyal and determined. How did it feel to write a character like her, compared to Aamir who seems more self-conscious? Do you have a favourite between the two?

I love both Noori and Aamir. They are almost complete opposites but still manage to find common ground and learn so much from each other. I had fun exploring their personalities and, admittedly, there is a bit of me in both of them. Noori is so bold while Aaamir tends to be more introspective, even if he doesn’t show it in conventional ways. I find it difficult to pick a favourite but if absolutely had to, I’d go for Noori because she might not always think things through but has such a big heart.

Do you have any kind of writing routine and, if so, can you tell us what it might look like?

My almost five-month-old baby has thrown any routine out the window! But I tend to be someone who writes in the evenings because that’s the only time I can make space for writing without getting distracted.

This is your debut book for young adults. Can you tell us a little about your journey to publication, and if you have any advice for aspiring writers?

My journey to publication was not straightforward. While I was lucky enough to find my incredible agent within weeks of querying literary agencies, it took years before Seven Days got published – and it’s also not the first novel I wrote! My advice to aspiring authors is: keep writing and don’t get disheartened by rejections – they are part of the process and are not a reflection of you or your abilities as a writer.

Are you working on anything else at the moment? What can readers expect from you next?

Trying to! It’s a bit tricky to find proper time for writing at the moment but I’m working on a rough outline for my next YA novel.

Rebeka Shaid

Rebeka was raised in a multicultural household, surrounded by piles of books, nosy siblings and lots of mythical trees that are known as the Black Forest. Growing up she wanted to be a snake charmer or ventriloquist, but that (luckily) didn’t pan out. Instead, she turned to words and writing. After doing sensible adult things like going to university, working as a business journalist, and becoming a mum, she decided to pen a YA novel.

In her writing, she likes to explore themes of identity, loss, and coming-of-age. Rebeka lives in Germany.